Central California Sierra - Van

Physical Difficulty - Advanced

Characterized by consistently undulating terrain and relatively longer distances (60+ miles per day). Advanced tours may also feature steep grades (greater than 6%) for extended periods. These tours are best suited for more experienced cyclists or folks with a higher fitness level.

Most of our longer (more than two weeks) self-contained tours are rated as Advanced or Advanced+. This has less to do with high mileages or unrelenting climbs, and more to do with the tour length, group roles and rotations, and the added challenges of riding loaded bicycles on lengthy tours.

Booking Status:

Closed

This new tour traverses the captivating heart of the Sierras, John Muir’s “Range of Light.” Explore three iconic national parks — Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite — that include the two largest trees in the world and the tallest waterfall in North America.

Challenge your legs on several mountain passes, including one of the highest in the Sierras. Meander among the western Sierra foothills of California gold rush and Mark Twain lore. Bring your cameras and climbing gears.

After a shuttle from Fresno, this tour will begin in Lake Isabella and mostly follow the Sierra Cascades route through the beauty of central California all the way to South Lake Tahoe, home of the second-deepest lake in the U.S.

Details:

For tour details (elevation, tour type, group size, and more), click on the
Details tab above.

Meals - Shared cooking

Your group will share responsibilities for food purchase, preparation, and clean up on a rotating basis. Vegetarian and special dietary needs will be accommodated, though food selection may be limited in some locations.

Accommodations - Camping/Indoor

Most of the overnights will be at private or public campgrounds with a range of amenities. Depending on the nature and location of the trip, these facilities could range from RV parks with hot tubs, to wilderness locations without running water. Indoor facilities such as motels/hotels, hostels, and churches are used occasionally, but on our more remote trips, some primitive camping is possible. Epic tours generally see about one indoor overnight every ten days. Overnight facilities vary, but tents are typically pitched on large, flat, grassy areas. You will need a good freestanding tent with a ground cloth, a sleeping bag rated appropriately for the season and elevation of your tour, and a sleeping pad.

Type - Supported

Physical Difficulty - Advanced

Characterized by consistently undulating terrain and relatively longer distances (60+ miles per day). Advanced tours may also feature steep grades (greater than 6%) for extended periods. These tours are best suited for more experienced cyclists or folks with a higher fitness level.

Most of our longer (more than two weeks) self-contained tours are rated as Advanced or Advanced+. This has less to do with high mileages or unrelenting climbs, and more to do with the tour length, group roles and rotations, and the added challenges of riding loaded bicycles on lengthy tours.

Level Of Support - Van Supported

Adventure Cycling's van-supported tours — where all personal and group gear is transported by a vehicle each day — have 2 leaders and up to 13 riders who camp most nights and share rotating cooking duties, akin to a self-contained trip but with the security and simplicity of van support.

Cost:

$2,499.00

Unsuitable Bicycle Types:

E-Bike, E-Trike

Overview

This new tour traverses the captivating heart of the Sierras, John Muir’s “Range of Light.” Explore three iconic national parks — Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite — that include the two largest trees in the world and the tallest waterfall in North America. Challenge your legs on several mountain passes, including one of the highest in the Sierras. Meander among the western Sierra foothills of California gold rush and Mark Twain lore. Bring your cameras and climbing gears.

After a shuttle from Fresno, this tour will begin in Lake Isabella and mostly follow the Sierra Cascades route through the beauty of central California all the way to South Lake Tahoe.

Day 1

Fresno, o miles. Meet your leaders and group for a late afternoon orientation meeting and dinner.

Day 2

Fresno to Johnsondale, 27 miles. Our van will shuttle us to Lake Isabella, where we’ll meet up with the Sierra Cascades route paralleling the Pacific Crest Trail. We’ll hop on our bikes for a ride through the Sequoia National Forest and along the Kern River.

Day 3

Day 4

Springville to Three Rivers, 47 miles. A hilly ride takes us to camp at the doorstep of Sequoia National Park, the second-oldest national park in the U.S.

Day 5

Three Rivers to Sequoia National Park, 26 miles. This short mileage day is almost all uphill as we climb about 5000 feet on a twisty road through the land of the giants. Opportunities abound to explore Sequoia. Stop at overlooks, visitor centers, and the Giant Forest Museum. Take your pick of a plethora of hiking trails through these majestic sequoias and a variety of conifers. Don’t miss the world’s largest living tree (by volume).

Day 6

Sequoia National Park to Kings Canyon National Park, 33 miles. Explore two national parks as we make our way through them to our camp in Kings Canyon for the night.

Day 7

Kings Canyon National Park to Piedra, 44 miles. We’ll exit the parks into national forest land protecting more giant sequoias. The reward for all that climbing we did two days ago is a day filled with lots of descending.

Day 8

Piedra to North Fork, 53 miles. Quiet country roads in the San Joaquin Valley take us along scenic Pine Flat Lake and up some steep climbs to the geographic center of California.

Day 9

North Fork to Midpines, 44 miles. We veer off the Sierra Cascades route — since commercial bike tours are prohibited in the Yosemite — and set ourselves up for a day to explore the park.

Day 10

Midpines, 0 miles. Yosemite National Park!!! Board the bus (bikes allowed) right outside our accommodation and spend the day in this wondrous icon of the national park system with its peaks, domes, and waterfalls. Take your pick of of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls — or catch them all!

Day 11

Midpines to Don Pedro Reservoir, 48 miles. Ride through the rolling western foothills of the Sierras of Mark Twain lore. Stop at a mining/historical museum if you choose and ride through another old mining camp from the California gold rush that retains its old west flavor.

Day 12

Day 13

Pine Grove to Pioneer, 42 miles. A climb through the Eldorado National Forest takes us to panoramic views of many peaks. We’ll climb over 6000 feet today to our forest service campground near a mountain lake.

Day 14

Pioneer to Markleeville, 35 miles. Today’s ride includes meadows, dramatic peaks, mountain lakes, a canyon, and Carson Pass at 8475 feet. We’ll rejoin the Sierra Cascades route and ride to Markleeville. We’ll spend our last nights together at Grover Hot Springs State Park, where you can reward yourself in the hot springs at the end of today’s ride and get ready for more climbing tomorrow.

Day 15

Monitor Pass or/and Ebbetts Pass, 34–70 miles. Markleeville is known for the death ride covering five mountain passes with 15,000 feet of climbing in one day. Take your pick of death ride passes today from our basecamp at the hot springs and climb either Monitor or Ebbetts Pass — or both.

Day 16

Markleeville to South Lake Tahoe, 36 miles. A climb along the Carson River takes us to the beautiful Hope Valley and over Luther Pass. Our last descent takes us into South Lake Tahoe and the second-deepest lake in the U.S., where we will say goodbye to a group of new friends and a stellar two weeks of cycling under our belts.

This is a new tour, or one we have not offered in awhile. Sign up and be one of the first cyclists to contribute to this testimonials page! For now read what past tour participants have said about some of our other trips.

" I was very encouraged by the "older" people in the group, a real inspiration to be able to keep cycling and having fun for a long time."

2009 TOUR PARTICIPANT

"An excellent tour, thanks very much! All the personnel were terrific. I will definitely be back for more."

2008 TOUR PARTICIPANT

"Almost 3 years ago, my husband and I did the TransAm with Adventure Cycling--15 people from 7 different countries, ranging from 31 to 71 years old...It was, without a doubt, one of the peak experiences of my life."

TOUR PARTICIPANT

"I enjoyed the opportunity to try something totally different, the freedom to be riding along watching the world go by from a new perspective."

Physical Difficulty - Advanced

Characterized by consistently undulating terrain and relatively longer distances (60+ miles per day). Advanced tours may also feature steep grades (greater than 6%) for extended periods. These tours are best suited for more experienced cyclists or folks with a higher fitness level.

Most of our longer (more than two weeks) self-contained tours are rated as Advanced or Advanced+. This has less to do with high mileages or unrelenting climbs, and more to do with the tour length, group roles and rotations, and the added challenges of riding loaded bicycles on lengthy tours.

Booking Status:

Closed

This new tour traverses the captivating heart of the Sierras, John Muir’s “Range of Light.” Explore three iconic national parks — Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite — that include the two largest trees in the world and the tallest waterfall in North America.

Challenge your legs on several mountain passes, including one of the highest in the Sierras. Meander among the western Sierra foothills of California gold rush and Mark Twain lore. Bring your cameras and climbing gears.

After a shuttle from Fresno, this tour will begin in Lake Isabella and mostly follow the Sierra Cascades route through the beauty of central California all the way to South Lake Tahoe, home of the second-deepest lake in the U.S.

Meals - Shared cooking

Your group will share responsibilities for food purchase, preparation, and clean up on a rotating basis. Vegetarian and special dietary needs will be accommodated, though food selection may be limited in some locations.

Accommodations - Camping/Indoor

Most of the overnights will be at private or public campgrounds with a range of amenities. Depending on the nature and location of the trip, these facilities could range from RV parks with hot tubs, to wilderness locations without running water. Indoor facilities such as motels/hotels, hostels, and churches are used occasionally, but on our more remote trips, some primitive camping is possible. Epic tours generally see about one indoor overnight every ten days. Overnight facilities vary, but tents are typically pitched on large, flat, grassy areas. You will need a good freestanding tent with a ground cloth, a sleeping bag rated appropriately for the season and elevation of your tour, and a sleeping pad.

Type - Supported

Physical Difficulty - Advanced

Characterized by consistently undulating terrain and relatively longer distances (60+ miles per day). Advanced tours may also feature steep grades (greater than 6%) for extended periods. These tours are best suited for more experienced cyclists or folks with a higher fitness level.

Most of our longer (more than two weeks) self-contained tours are rated as Advanced or Advanced+. This has less to do with high mileages or unrelenting climbs, and more to do with the tour length, group roles and rotations, and the added challenges of riding loaded bicycles on lengthy tours.

Level Of Support - Van Supported

Adventure Cycling's van-supported tours — where all personal and group gear is transported by a vehicle each day — have 2 leaders and up to 13 riders who camp most nights and share rotating cooking duties, akin to a self-contained trip but with the security and simplicity of van support.

Overview

This new tour traverses the captivating heart of the Sierras, John Muir’s “Range of Light.” Explore three iconic national parks — Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite — that include the two largest trees in the world and the tallest waterfall in North America. Challenge your legs on several mountain passes, including one of the highest in the Sierras. Meander among the western Sierra foothills of California gold rush and Mark Twain lore. Bring your cameras and climbing gears.

After a shuttle from Fresno, this tour will begin in Lake Isabella and mostly follow the Sierra Cascades route through the beauty of central California all the way to South Lake Tahoe.

Day 1

Fresno, o miles. Meet your leaders and group for a late afternoon orientation meeting and dinner.

Day 2

Fresno to Johnsondale, 27 miles. Our van will shuttle us to Lake Isabella, where we’ll meet up with the Sierra Cascades route paralleling the Pacific Crest Trail. We’ll hop on our bikes for a ride through the Sequoia National Forest and along the Kern River.

Day 3

Day 4

Springville to Three Rivers, 47 miles. A hilly ride takes us to camp at the doorstep of Sequoia National Park, the second-oldest national park in the U.S.

Day 5

Three Rivers to Sequoia National Park, 26 miles. This short mileage day is almost all uphill as we climb about 5000 feet on a twisty road through the land of the giants. Opportunities abound to explore Sequoia. Stop at overlooks, visitor centers, and the Giant Forest Museum. Take your pick of a plethora of hiking trails through these majestic sequoias and a variety of conifers. Don’t miss the world’s largest living tree (by volume).

Day 6

Sequoia National Park to Kings Canyon National Park, 33 miles. Explore two national parks as we make our way through them to our camp in Kings Canyon for the night.

Day 7

Kings Canyon National Park to Piedra, 44 miles. We’ll exit the parks into national forest land protecting more giant sequoias. The reward for all that climbing we did two days ago is a day filled with lots of descending.

Day 8

Piedra to North Fork, 53 miles. Quiet country roads in the San Joaquin Valley take us along scenic Pine Flat Lake and up some steep climbs to the geographic center of California.

Day 9

North Fork to Midpines, 44 miles. We veer off the Sierra Cascades route — since commercial bike tours are prohibited in the Yosemite — and set ourselves up for a day to explore the park.

Day 10

Midpines, 0 miles. Yosemite National Park!!! Board the bus (bikes allowed) right outside our accommodation and spend the day in this wondrous icon of the national park system with its peaks, domes, and waterfalls. Take your pick of of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls — or catch them all!

Day 11

Midpines to Don Pedro Reservoir, 48 miles. Ride through the rolling western foothills of the Sierras of Mark Twain lore. Stop at a mining/historical museum if you choose and ride through another old mining camp from the California gold rush that retains its old west flavor.

Day 12

Day 13

Pine Grove to Pioneer, 42 miles. A climb through the Eldorado National Forest takes us to panoramic views of many peaks. We’ll climb over 6000 feet today to our forest service campground near a mountain lake.

Day 14

Pioneer to Markleeville, 35 miles. Today’s ride includes meadows, dramatic peaks, mountain lakes, a canyon, and Carson Pass at 8475 feet. We’ll rejoin the Sierra Cascades route and ride to Markleeville. We’ll spend our last nights together at Grover Hot Springs State Park, where you can reward yourself in the hot springs at the end of today’s ride and get ready for more climbing tomorrow.

Day 15

Monitor Pass or/and Ebbetts Pass, 34–70 miles. Markleeville is known for the death ride covering five mountain passes with 15,000 feet of climbing in one day. Take your pick of death ride passes today from our basecamp at the hot springs and climb either Monitor or Ebbetts Pass — or both.

Day 16

Markleeville to South Lake Tahoe, 36 miles. A climb along the Carson River takes us to the beautiful Hope Valley and over Luther Pass. Our last descent takes us into South Lake Tahoe and the second-deepest lake in the U.S., where we will say goodbye to a group of new friends and a stellar two weeks of cycling under our belts.

This is a new tour, or one we have not offered in awhile. Sign up and be one of the first cyclists to contribute to this testimonials page! For now read what past tour participants have said about some of our other trips.

" I was very encouraged by the "older" people in the group, a real inspiration to be able to keep cycling and having fun for a long time."

2009 TOUR PARTICIPANT

"An excellent tour, thanks very much! All the personnel were terrific. I will definitely be back for more."

2008 TOUR PARTICIPANT

"Almost 3 years ago, my husband and I did the TransAm with Adventure Cycling--15 people from 7 different countries, ranging from 31 to 71 years old...It was, without a doubt, one of the peak experiences of my life."

TOUR PARTICIPANT

"I enjoyed the opportunity to try something totally different, the freedom to be riding along watching the world go by from a new perspective."

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Inn to Inn. There is no better way to see and experience the San Francisco Bay Area, along with a splendid section of Northern California, than from the seat of your bike. Add in a fabulous ferry ride and two convenient train connections, and you have all the ingredients for a fun, multimodal travel adventure that covers significant distances, with cycling at the heart of each day.

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Adventure Cycling Association inspires and empowers people to travel by bicycle.